Manipulation of class 3 pathogens requires strict safety measures to prevent accidental release into the environment.  The biosafety level 3 (BSL3) cell culture laboratory allows the save handling of air and blood borne organisms. The laboratory is constantly monitored by alarms and maintains a constant underpressure. All waste is autoclaved before leaving the BSL3 area. Exhaust air from the laboratory is cleaned by a high efficiency particulate air filter.

The laboratory hosts various research projects subjected to Ecogen authorization.  The mission of the platform is to ensure the protection of researchers from infection and the environment and the public from the release of a pathogenic and contagious organism. To this end, it provides users with adequate training to work in a confined environment and offers appropriate equipment for handling class3 pathogens.  The lab manager of the laboratory advises on the experimental design and delivers theoretical and practical training to future users.  The facility is accessible to internal users (University of Geneva and HUG), but also to external users (industry).

The laboratory is divided in two zones:

·     Zone A equipped with class II biosafety cabinets when working with blood borne pathogens

·     Zone B equipped with an isolator with a double H14 filtration system to work with airborne microorganisms.